James Horan steps down as Mayo manager

[macdanger2]

"Apparently, some players and members of James Horan's managerial structure had a problem with some of the comments he(McHale) made over a period of time in a local newspaper. God love them if their sensitivities were a little bruised," he added.

Pot Kettle Black.

There had to be a reason behind the swiftness of the decision. At least he has come out now and repaired some of his leak's. Fair play to him but his media skills came into play by leaving this revelation for one of his own commercial paper employers, the hearld, rather than spitting it out in the Mayo news interview. Instead he tried to keep coy about the matter.

I'm not here to defend the CB or anything like that but KMcS hasn't exactly covered himself in plaudits by consistently stating he is working for the good of Mayo football yet on the other hand playing the local and national media game for what can only be said is his own benefit. He is trying to have his cake and eat it.

Ultimately the players and DBuckley appeared to have a say which has to be a good thing (almost every Mayo poster wanted DB to be kept for some continuity), the CB are damed if they do and damed if they don't. The players must always come first. If this is the cartel that one poster has alleged then the players and some of the previous management are in it!

It is unfortunate that the CB weren't as quick to get behind the players and previous management for the Limerick fixture as they were to act in this appointment.

Also it is obvious some communication and internal CB team building issues need to be resolved but that doesn't really concern or affect the team.

It has to be said that KMcS did drip feed the media and it is causing undue hyperbole. This benefits no one. He could have said what he said in the indo article straight up, perhaps he did and the Mayo news held back? Obviously feels bitter about what had happened but this is now getting childish.  The proof of this is that the children over on the WJ site are gone haywire altogether.

It's time to move on now and get behind the new management. It's a f**king disgrace what some posters have said here already basing everything on hearsay and in particular judging the new management before a ball is even kicked.

Just have a look at the comment beneath the indo article, it's becoming laughable outside the county now.

I was criticized yesterday for my rational take on this matter where I was basing only my analysis on the facts presented and these facts were and can only be on what KMS had to say, or as it turned out yesterday half say, in the Mayo news. I don't live at home so I don't hear the rumors or hearsay and even if I did I wouldn't take heed of them.

Also I'm glad, as one poster has said, that Noel Connelly's brother stepped aside during this process. That was the obvious intelligent and honorable thing to do.

One final word on this, if Liam McHale had long term ambitions over been involved with this current crop of great players then slating them publicly wasn't a very intelligent move.

We have two intelligent lads in charge who just want to do the best for the county. Time to get behind them.

This idea of "move on" is real Bertie Ahern kinda stuff, "I've been lying like f*ck but it's time to get on with running the country now so don't be bothering me"

There was a system agreed for appointing the manager and it wasn't followed. Not necessarily Connelly and Holmes fault but it can't just be brushed under the carpet

[yellowcard]

It seems that whatever McHale said about the players was the deciding factor in the county board fast tracking Holmes and Connelly into the job. What did McHale say about the players that upset them?

[Jinxy]

Darragh O'Sé said in today's Irish Times that he didn't give Kerry a hope of winning the All-Ireland at the start of the year and also admitted he had criticised Anthony Maher a good bit.
Does that preclude him from ever working with this group of players?

[mayoman dan]

First class team
Second class citizens
No class County board

[saffronandblue]

Rule No. 1 and the only rule for an appointment as Mayo Manager......you must be a die-hard blue-shirt.  No non Fine Gael heads need apply.........not sure what political colour McStay is, nor do I care, but if he's not a lover of our esteemed leader Enda he might as well forget about the job straight away. 

That said, N.C has a mighty track record, sure didn't he put a fine roof on the shed in McHale Park.........

My own opinion is that there should be no going back to the past and McStay should be given a crack at it..........down the line I see one Andy Moran as our next manager in waiting!!!!!!!

My prediction of September 4th holds true.  Not surprised in the least.  Not only does the County Board need to go, but Connelly and Holmes need to withdraw as well.  They were complicate in all that was going on and are just as guilty as the chairman.  Shame on them as well...........

[muppet]

Highorlow this process (if that is the word) has been shambolic. That is no reflection on Noel or Pat, but you simply must have a fair and transparent process.

Kevin is now talking like a man who no longer believes he will ever get the job, which doesn't help either.

The family connection between the board and the new management should have caused people to think that, as an absolute priority, everything needed to be done properly. To clean up this mess we will need a dreaded investigation, with the results being made public. That would be painful but necessary.

I suspect most people will go to ground and hope that the off-season will see people forget about it. It probably won't work out like that.

[rosnarun]

Darragh O'Sé said in today's Irish Times that he didn't give Kerry a hope of winning the All-Ireland at the start of the year and also admitted he had criticised Anthony Maher a good bit.
Does that preclude him from ever working with this group of players?

it depends a lot on the manner it was said ,' If was done in a ' 'Look at Me'  Joe brolly sort of a way or a personalized attack then yes he would probably been percluded . but if it was Clear that it was being said for the betterment of Kerry then no .
Machale if anything can be too fair on the radio a you'd hardly know he was from Mayo , but he is, and one with his eye one the managers job and all his utterances are coloured by it

[rosnarun]

Highorlow this process (if that is the word) has been shambolic. That is no reflection on Noel or Pat, but you simply must have a fair and transparent process.

Kevin is now talking like a man who no longer believes he will ever get the job, which doesn't help either.

The family connection between the board and the new management should have caused people to think that, as an absolute priority, everything needed to be done properly. To clean up this mess we will need a dreaded investigation, with the results being made public. That would be painful but necessary.

I suspect most people will go to ground and hope that the off-season will see people forget about it. It probably won't work out like that.

hopefully either way itll be long forgotten about by september June,
May not bode well for our FBD campaign though . this could be roscommons year

[Syferus]

Most of McHale's stuff that I've heard or read have been relatively mild, he's certainly not some sort of Rhubarb Joe Broly or Pat Spillane. I do wonder in 20 years time how many of the current Mayo panel will have a writing, radio or tv gig where they'll have committed the exact same egregious sins as McHale.

It's far beneath the best Mayo team for over half a century become embroiled in something so petty. My God if this isn't an unholy mess. You'd almost feel sorry for Holmes and Connelly.

[saffronandblue]

I for one don't feel sorry for Connelly and Holmes, they are up to their eyes in this mess.  You would think that they were naive innocent little boys, the way some people are talking.  Out Out Out.......

[Tubberman]

Rule No. 1 and the only rule for an appointment as Mayo Manager......you must be a die-hard blue-shirt.  No non Fine Gael heads need apply.........not sure what political colour McStay is, nor do I care, but if he's not a lover of our esteemed leader Enda he might as well forget about the job straight away. 

That said, N.C has a mighty track record, sure didn't he put a fine roof on the shed in McHale Park.........

My own opinion is that there should be no going back to the past and McStay should be given a crack at it..........down the line I see one Andy Moran as our next manager in waiting!!!!!!!

My prediction of September 4th holds true.  Not surprised in the least.  Not only does the County Board need to go, but Connelly and Holmes need to withdraw as well.  They were complicate in all that was going on and are just as guilty as the chairman.  Shame on them as well...........

Have you any basis for that or it just assumption? Shame on you if that's the case.....

[Rossfan]

. My God if this isn't an unholy mess. You'd almost feel sorry for Holmes and Connelly.

Syfín you bloody Rhubarb lover 
Let's enjoy it while it lasts and hopfully get the hundred pages in the process 

[Syferus]

I for one don't feel sorry for Connelly and Holmes, they are up to their eyes in this mess.  You would think that they were naive innocent little boys, the way some people are talking.  Out Out Out.......

Sure whatever anyone says having your brother as the VC of the county board is a ridiculous situation, it's almost impossible for impartiality to exsist in that situation even if he had locked himself in a fridge for the whole process. Holmes ruling himself out of the manager's job weeks ago hints at the fact these two may have got word that a joint bid was close to a sure thing, they aren't innocent but now they have a county that's half out for their blood before they've even slipped on a bib.

[Farrandeelin]

Can anybody tell me what/how/why Pat Holmes changed his mind? He dismissed himself out of the running only a fortnight ago. I cannot understand how he is brought in. Fair enough he got the Mitchels to an All-Ireland, but Eoghan O'Reilly's confidence is shattered as a cause of it.

[Syferus]

Can anybody tell me what/how/why Pat Holmes changed his mind? He dismissed himself out of the running only a fortnight ago. I cannot understand how he is brought in. Fair enough he got the Mitchels to an All-Ireland, but Eoghan O'Reilly's confidence is shattered as a cause of it.

You have to imagine he was already exploring the idea of joining up with Connelly before he ruled himself out, probably much, much longer - after Mitchels' good season if he hadn't his eyes on another job you'd be surprised if he stepped down. I saw that move as clearing the path for a return to senior management.

The two were rumoured to be in the running for our job back in 2012 so they certainly have demonstrated an interest in senior management as a team.